Organised by the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies on Defence and Security (CIEDS) and the Interdisciplinary Centre for Seas and Ocean (CIMO), two interdisciplinary centres at Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP Paris), CIEDS Operation returned for its fourth edition on June 9, 2026. This year, the event was held on the ENSTA campus for the first time.
Researchers, academics, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers joined representatives from the Ministry for the Armed Forces and Veterans, the Ministry of the Interior, the Defence Innovation Agency (AID) and the Directorate General for Armament (DGA), alongside private-sector stakeholders, start-ups and innovation organisations.
CIEDS Operation 2026 brought this diverse community together to explore key challenges in the maritime and naval sectors, CBRN threats and defence innovation more broadly. Participants also had the opportunity to discover innovative projects developed by industry, IP Paris and the Ministry for the Armed Forces and Veterans, particularly in air-land robotics, cyber defence, metal additive manufacturing and quantum technologies. Throughout the day, cross-sector and interdisciplinary discussions helped foster new connections and opportunities for collaboration.
This fourth edition also introduced several new initiatives, including the launch of a fundraising campaign in support of Bleuet de France and the integration of CIMO’s defence-related activities. For the first time, a pitching session was also held during the lunchtime networking forum, giving five start-ups and partners the opportunity to showcase their projects.
